Wearing Milani Face Powder n Hermosa Rose along my cheekbones and Beauty’s Touch on my cheeks
Bargain loving babes and/or fellow fans of the $28 MAC Pearlmatte Powders, these new Milani Illuminating Face Powders do a pretty good MAC impression for $9.49 each.
Designed for all skin types, they even multitask, and can be used as blushes, highlighters and bronzers that deliver a hint of color and glow, just like the pricier Pearlmattes.
And they’re available in three easy-to-wear shades…
- Amber Nectar: a warm, peachy coral
- Hermosa Rose: a peachy golden tan
- Beauty’s Touch: a cool pink
Just look at those cute pans (it’s hard to go wrong with roses)! 🙂
Clockwise from the powder on the left: Hermosa Rose, Beauty’s Touch and Amber Nectar
The soft glow I get from Milani’s powders reminds me again of the Pearlmattes. The finish is somewhere between a matte and a sheen, and I think the powders from MAC are a smidgen more pigmented and maybe a tad more matte.
Milani even rocked the house with the texture of these. They’re so buttery and soft that I can hardly believe they’re drugstore.
Swatches from the left: Amber Nectar, Hermosa Rose and Beauty’s Touch
Wearing Hermosa Rose along my cheekbones and Beauty’s Touch on my cheeks
My one quibble is with the flecks of shimmer, which are a bit bigger than I’d like. The problem surfaces when I mistakenly apply too much on my cheeks, where the shimmer shines a spotlight on my pores.
No biggie, but it’s one little thing that doesn’t seem to happen when I wear the Pearlmattes.
My heart still belongs to MAC, but Milani is making a pretty good case here with these. It never hurts to have more affordable options to products you like.
PRICE: $9.49 each
AVAILABILITY: Available now at drugstores and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+/A-
And speaking of MAC…
Pull out your Pentel R.S.V.P. Fine Tip pen (my fave!) and your crazy cat lady calendar, because MAC has a bunch of fun limited edition collections lined up. Four of them arrive on North American shores March 1.
MAC Chenman
A collaboration with Chinese fashion photographer Chen Man, this release is all wet! — as in colors for eyes, faces and cheeks that are inspired by water. Expect bold, sensual shades of blue and pink. There are also three new Mineralize Eye Shadow Duos ($20 each) coming out (yay!).
MAC & Marcel Wanders
This second snack features another artistic partnership, this one with Amsterdam-based industrial designer Marcel Wanders. Wanders where, you may ask? Well, into more expensive territory, for one. The special packaging of these pieces kicks up the price. The lipsticks and glosses will be $22.50, mascaras $18, and the powders $60. But dayum! — the pieces sure look cool.
Too Supreme
Kiss boredom goodbye! This release is just Too Supreme. It features new shades of the MAC Sheen Supreme Lipsticks ($19 each) and a new line of Sheen Supreme Lipglasses ($14.50 each) in convenient click pens.
Zoom Waterfast Lash
Last, but not least, Zoom Waterfast Lash ($15) has a lot in store for lashes — namely a lightweight, waterproof mascara for super definition.
One more thing…
MAC Marilyn Monroe! WWD reported today that a release inspired by Marilyn is on its way (look for it in October).
Just imagine those lipsticks and liners… I’m hoping for bold red lips and cat eyes. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Mind if I ask what you had for dinner tonight? More importantly, what did you have for dessert? I had a pretty yummy fish sandwich for dinner, but I’m still nowhere near full, and now I’m looking at an unopened box of TJ’s Mango Bars and seriously considering eating them all.
P.P.S. How was your day?
Helen Nguyen says
I can’t wait for those MAC collections to come out, they look so preeeettyyyy! Milani seems to have lots of great dupes, would love to try some of their products.
I haven’t had dinner yet, since is still early hear. But I’m going to have lunch soon and its home made rice and fish with chili sauce. Its hard to have dessert at work, lol.. wouldn’t look right!
If I were you, I would fulfill myself with those TJ’s Mango Bars 😉 life is too short to hold out.
Antonia at Swedish Love Affair says
Wow, the Milani ones are so cute! I’m looking forward to the MAC collections as well, but that photo with the lips creeps me out a little! 😀
Naomi says
Milani is one of my favourite drugstore brands! Really looking forward to the new mac collections, although they always arrive so late here. Dinner for me was pizza and coke! hehe.
Kim says
HAHA! Did you eat them all? I made veggie lasagna last night which the boys said was the grossest thing they’d ever eaten. Personally, I thought it was delish (and the Hubs said it was OK but too mushroom-y). One of the boys said it had better be fish sticks on Friday. 🙂
I love the Milani powder in the pan. Those little roses are just gorgeous. And, my goodness, MAC is on a tear. The packaging for the Wanders line is stunning. I really like the idea of the click pen for the Lipglasses, too. Is the finish really that glossy/wet looking in real life?
Anitacska says
Hi Karen! 🙂
These look very pretty and I so wish Milani was available in the UK. 🙁
Can you imagine we’re getting 9 new Mac collections on the 1st march in the UK! My poor wallet has just run away, lol.
And I had pineapple chunks with wipped cream for desert, I used to think that was the best pud when I was little. 🙂
Sunny @ Mostly Sunny says
Aww Karen these are really cute! I wish we had Milani (along with a long list of brands) here!
I had smoked salmon fried rice (because I had leftover salmon and rice lol) for dinner, and homemade brownie + a scoop of ice cream for dessert. I should stop making brownies because I lose my sense of shame when I see them lol
Nina says
i had scrambled eggs on toast for dinner. 🙂
and the upcoming mac collections are so enticing, but none more than the marilyn one. 🙂
i saw those milani face powders at CVS and uhm… the pattern kinda freaked me out a bit. 😀
Christine says
Hi Karen! I actually had a mushroom omelet last night! Yum!
Can you tell us what kind of wear time you were getting with these Milani Face Powders? They’re so pretty!
Marian says
These powders are so pretty!
Last night, we had baked chicken, saffron rice, peas and corn.
Appu says
I can’t wait for Too Supreme to launch! Btw, you are glowwwing in the first pic, Karen 🙂
Katherine G says
Milani is great. Like any makeup brand, there are hits and misses, and these powders/illuminators look like a hit. I also like their eyeshadows and liquid liners (that’s mostly what I buy from the Milani collection aside from nail polishes). As far as drugstore brands go I am also a fan of Maybelline, NYX, and Wet N’ Wild.
Lisa S. says
I had home made barbecue beef on a chiabatta bun with honey barbecue chips. No veggies in sight, but oh so good! About 2 hours later I had a frozen layered cherry mousse brownie (leftover from Valentines day.)
I agree with you on the pigmentation, MAC’s is better although Milani’s isn’t bad. In a way it’s kinda good. Sometimes in the mornings my mind is not really awake and I have a bad habit of slapping on the cheek paint, the fact that Milani’s pigment is a bit more subtle has saved me from clown cheeks more times than I care to admit.
Stèphanie says
They look too pretty to use!
AnneMarie says
Just wanted to say thanks for your reviews of drugstore brands. I can’t always afford to shop MAC or Sephora for things… so I write down things that catch my eye here that you’ve reviewed or recommend – and keep the list in my wallet, so when I’m at Walgreen’s or Target, I know what I’m looking for. You really don’t have to spend a fortune to do your makeup really nice, and you’ve proven that. I was at Target looking around the other day and the makeup section employee noticed me and said… “you have a list!” Yes… my secret MBB makeup list!
Teresa says
Thanks for featuring drugstore brands, Karen. And thanks for telling us about the Monroe collection!